By the numbers
According to published estimates, the Longfellow Bridge carries roughly 50,000 cars and 100,000 Red Line passengers every day.
Published 21:56, May the 1st, 2008
Sidewalk testing on Longfellow Bridge
BOSTON. State officials have begun testing the sidewalks on the Longfellow Bridge to ensure they are safe for heavy crowds such as those that line the span on July 4, according to published reports.
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) began “routine testing” on both sidewalks this week. The downstream sidewalk will be closed until noon Saturday and the opposite side will not open for good again until Sunday.
Reports said the DCR commenced the testing amid concerns that the 102-year-old bridge that carries Route 3 traffic and the Red Line was not fit for an Independence Day crowd.
Repairs on the bridge have been ongoing nightly since August in the wake of an inspection last year that showed the span was in worse shape than previously thought.
